As the province gears up for winter, Nova Scotians are encouraged to do the same.
“Keeping our roads safe is our top priority – we don’t hold anything back in winter,” said Minister Geoff MacLellan, Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. “While we’re getting ready, so should you — now is the time to winterize your vehicle; install winter tires, top up anti-freeze, and place an emergency kit in your car.”
Using more than 400 pieces of winter equipment, provincial operators work 24-7 before, during and after a winter event to clear roads for safe driving. The department’s standards are to have 100-series highways, trunk highways and other high-traffic roads cleared within eight hours after a storm ends.
Secondary and other medium-volume roads must be cleared within 12 hours after a storm. Local roads, streets in residential areas and subdivisions, and gravel roads are cleared within 24 hours.
“Our goal is to keep people moving — to their jobs, their schools and to get on with their lives as quickly, and in as safe a manner as possible,” said Mr. MacLellan. “To allow us to do that, we ask that drivers stay off roads in a storm, both for safety reasons and so plow drivers can clear more efficiently.”
This year’s budget for winter maintenance is $60.5 million, which includes $34 million for salt and salt application.
Nova Scotians can find out more about safe winter driving, including accessing the plow tracker tool by going to novascotia.ca/tran/winter.
For road condition updates, follow the department on twitter @NS_TIR or call 511.
FOR BROADCAST USE:
As the province gears up for winter, Nova Scotians are
encouraged to do the same.
Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Geoff
MacLellan says now is the time to winterize your vehicle —
install winter tires, top up anti-freeze and place an emergency
kit in your car.
This year’s budget for winter maintenance is $60.5 million,
which includes $34 million for salt and salt application.
For more information about safe winter driving, visit the
department website.
Source: Release